imitatio Latin · revision 8387

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=Rhetorica ad Herennium|origins=la imitor}}

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+ ==Forms==

+ '''imitātiō''' ''f'' (genitive imitātiōnis); third declension^(Wiktionary)

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+ ==Etymology==

+ It is from [[imitor]] “to imitate” with the suffix [[-tiō]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline)

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+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The OLD's earliest citation is from the ''Rhetorica ad Herennium'', of imitating an example.^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates it 86/82 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

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+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant imitating an example, as in the ''Rhetorica ad Herennium'', and in Cicero copying, mimicking, and a copy, an imitation.^(OLD 2012) Döderlein explains that ''imitārī'' is merely the effort to make something like another thing, without any moral notion.^(Döderlein 1874)

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+ In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant example, imitation.^(Stelten 1995) British Medieval Latin used it for copying another person, in grammar for the formation of verbs, and for following a moral example.^(DMLBS) It survives in Italian ''imitazione'' and French ''imitation'', and through Old French it gave [[en|imitation]] about 1400.^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline)

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+ ==Timeline==

+ * 86/82 BC – The ''Rhetorica ad Herennium'' uses it.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of a copy.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 1400 – English ''imitation'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

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+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Imitation of an example.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Copying, mimicking.^(OLD 2012)

+ # A copy, [[m|en|imitation]].^(OLD 2012)

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+ ==Related words==

+ * [[imitor]]

+ * [[imāgō]]

+ * [[en|imitation]]

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+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}